How To Spot A False Prophet…

A friend recently asked me “How can you tell that a “prophet” is a false prophet”?

When their prophecy doesn’t come true!

Myreply was almost juvenile, but true – if God is truly speaking to someone and they are “relaying” His words to you, then whatever He “tells” them is supposed to happen.

Remember Numbers 23:19? Or, how about Isaiah 55:11? So who’s the liar – God or the “prophet”? I think we all know the answer to this question.

“But what about the things that have happened to me that have been prophesied” you ask?

I’m not a naysayer – in general. I believe in the power of God and I believe that He is the Supreme Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Nothing happens except the Lord wills it.

I can’t, however, take today’s “parking lot prophets” seriously either (these are the folks who accost you in the parking lot after church to tell you what “thus says the Lord”).

I’ve been “prophesied” to before, and the “prophesies” have generally been vague and open ended. “God told me to tell you that your breakthrough is coming” they say, or “The Lord told me to tell you that your latter will be greater than your former, thus says the Lord…”.

No one has ever told me “The Lord told me to tell you that on Tuesday April 1, 2008 you will get a call from your cousin John asking you to forgive him for pushing you off your bike when you were 7″.

Most of today’s “prophets” act more like fortune tellers that you see on late night television.

They say“The Lord is showing me someone in your life with a name that begins with T…does that sound familiar to you? It does, ok…the Lord says that T owes you money, is that correct? No? OK, umm, is there someone who’s name begins with C that owes you money? No, umm, I’m hearing a C, or T, or D, or P, or…” you get the point.

That was my introduction, here’s the point of this post:

This week is the start of TBN’s bi-annual “Pimp-A-Thon”, so I was looking for some videos of the pimps on parade from the first night of the show.

I don’t have video yet, but I did see Paula White take a break from her heretical ramblings to declare that you would get a breakthrough if you sowed $88 or $888 (you did know that 2008 is the “year of the breakthrough”, didn’t you?).

The “prophecy” is interesting as well, particularly since it’s vague AND incorrect. I won’t reprint the entire text here (you can click the link above to check it out for yourself), but take a look at a few interesting points:

2006 WILL BE A YEAR OF MANIFESTATION FOR THE CHURCH.

Wow – that sounds important, especially since it’s written in all caps. It’s a pretty vague statement, though. I don’t remember any particular “manifestations” (which is religious for “happenings”), but I was under the influence of a pulpit pimp at the time so I can’t knock her hustle.

The enemy has set his hand to strike once more against this Nation, not only once but twice in the months ahead.

I don’t remember that happening…

I hear crying in the streets of Jerusalem, wailing for their dead, sudden calamity

C’mon lady, that was a pretty safe bet there. Jerusalem has been under attack for the past 40+ years.

The cry of China has come up before the Lord. Great revival is breaking out, massive miracles.

Hmm, last time I checked China was still cracking down on dissent of any kind, especially dissent from the church – even until today.

The screeching of brakes can be heard in Hollywood as a turn around in the movie industry takes place. Movie moguls and producers are going to rethink some of their plans for future films as throngs of people scurry to the box office to see the good family films, many depicting the things of Christ. Hollywood cries, “show me the money,” while God’s men and women that are in the business cry, “show them the way.”

Would someone please contact Aquilla and ask her to turn on her television or to go see a movie so she’ll know how far off base she was on this one?

Because of the travail of the people, the Church will take on a whole new look. Many will no longer be satisfied with entertainment and watered down sermons. They will demand the meat of the Word with signs following.

I’m sorry, I have to laugh at that one :-P The church has taken on a “whole new look”, but folks are EVEN MORE SATISFIED WITH ENTERTAINMENT in the church. I was one of them.

These days, pulpit pimps have stirred up the sheep so much that they will run in the aisles, speak in tongues, rub their bibles, and demand that God “open up the windows of Heaven and pour out a blessing” like never before.

And she made this “prophecy”on TBN, the alpha pimp network? :-P

There’s more of these deep sayings so feel free to read it on your own.

The bottom line is this – there are no Jeremiah’s or Nathan’s or Isaiah’s walking around declaring the Word of the Lord these days. Most of today’s “prophets” areacting in direct opposition to 2 Peter 16:20-21:

20But (A)know this first of all, that (B)no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of ones own interpretation,

21for (C)no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men (D)moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

I started this post with a question: “How can you tell that a prophet is a false prophet”?

God gave the best answer to this question in Deuteronomy 18:20-22 – and He gave the prescription of false prophecy as well (my emphasis in bold):

20‘But the prophet who speaks a word (A)presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or (B)which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’

21“You may say in your heart, ‘How will we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’

22“(C)When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken The prophet has spoken it (D)presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

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15 Responses to “How To Spot A False Prophet…”

I’m rethinking special revelation this week, by that I mean I’m asking myself the question, is God still speaking to us today individually?

I have had so my prophetic lies told to me that is disturbing. I am also wondering about the things we claim God has said. At a concert God tells the artist in the back to tell the people, blah blah blah. The pastor gets up on Sunday morning and said, while I was studying God told me to tell you… Your mother calls and says, I was praying and God told me to call you and tell you to stop whatever you’re doing…

Certainly you are correct. If in fact God said it it must come to pass. Let God be true and every man a liar.

I don’t want to make it seem like I’m “calling out” everyone who claims to hear from God. If that’s the case, then all of my aunt’s, the old mothers from my childhood church, and just about every one of my neighbors in my childhood neighborhood would’ve dropped dead :-)

I’m speaking specifically to the “prophets” and “prophetesses” that look for people to prophesize to – primarily to show how “religious” they are.

I’m simply saying be careful what you say “in the name of the Lord” – especially if he didn’t say it to you in the first place…

I was reading some of the articles that are on your website. I believe that there is always a Godly way to address an issue. Yes, we all know that there are false prophets, but we have to make sure that when we are talking about these matters, that we are not in the flesh. I know that calling someone a pimp is just as out of order as someone proclaiming a false prophecy.( sin is sin) We are speaking the truth correct! The divine definition of a prophet in the Old Testament was a seer or one who proclaimed the word of God. It was not all about telling the future even though the prophets did deal with seeing prophecies and the current revelation that we are now seeing. We must understand that this is not all, they proclaimed the word of God to the people.”Thus says the Lord” Repent. So what I am trying to get others to understand is that people will cotinuing on sinning, but we as Christian must be careful of how we use our tongue. We must ask God to expose the unfruitful words of darkness, but we had better make sure that our hands or clean. Let us pray for Paula White and the others that you are calling false prophets. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to lead us correctly, we must abide in the precious vine so that we may hear him clearly, and allow him to warn us of the real and false prophets. God will expose those that mock or make up lies about him. May God pour out his blessing on his children in the Mighty name of Jesus!!!! Mrs. Sims

Thank you for your comment Mrs. Sims. I understand the fundamental point of your comment, but I stand by it as written.

I use the term “pimp” for a specific reason and I stand by my use of that term. It’s not polite, but it’s the truth. Why do you think it’s a sin for me to call someone based on an accurate description of their actions – whether that’s “pimp” or “false prophet”?

Dueteronomy 18:18-20 (referenced in the article) clearly states the criteria of false prophecy – whether it was foretelling, forthtelling, or saying what God told someone to say. If someone claims to speak in the name of the Lord (to prophesy, or anything else that they claim He told them to say) – and God didn’t direct them, then they are a false prophet.

I understand that as Christians we are to pray for Paula White and her ilk – and I do (believe it or not). We are also called to contend for the faith (Jude 1:3-4). I know that I don’t always seem polite in my approach, but my goal is to glorify God by drawing a distinct line in the sand between His children and His enemies.

Dutch Sheets and Chuck Pierce have been ramifying all over the nation in recent years, declaring this and decreeing that.

I love their choice of words that they put into God’s mouth: alignment restructuring, shifting. God sounds like a modern CEO. Of course, all these terms are meant as code to those “in the know.” They mean for the church to come under the umbrella of these new apostles and prophets, so they can take over the world “for Christ.”

You didn’t get your transfer of wealth stan? That’s OK, I didn’t get mine either. Of course, the liars try to remain vague enough so that ANYBODY who gets a few dollars ANYWHERE can attribute their “success” to the liars.

They always prattle on about “a great move of God”, “breakthrough”, divine “manifestations”, world-wide calamity and the like. I guess you can lie on God on just about everything these days.

But no worry, there will always be a willing audience to line up to hear the lies…

A few years ago, I was a fan of Dutch Sheets along with the pastor of the A/G church I attended, who read his books voraciously. I was an elder then for the last 3 years I was there. In short order, back in 2005, the Lord finally opened my eyes (for which I have eternal gratitude).

I could not believe what I had accepted so trustingly from the many celebrity ministers whose teachings had found a home in both our church and in my life. When the Lord came to my aid, I went on a vigorous campaign as a teacher to expose the many Charismatic teachers who had come to define the movement. By name.

The pastor finally told me to stop naming names. He told me that it disturbed the peace, which was the number one policy he wanted to maintain in the church. Whom should I obey? The pastor of the church I had been at for 25 years as a trusted supporting minister or God? I resigned from the church as quietly as possible, taking no one with me.

It was not long before I understood the error of Dutch Sheets, et. al., and their vague and high-sounding prophetic utterances based on their dominionist delusions.

Thank God through Jesus Christ that your sound mind prevailed stan. I’m sure it was a blow to your former church to lose someone so high in leadership, but it was a definite gain for the Kingdom of God to have another soldier for truth out here on the front line.

I subscribed to every prosperity pimp, WOF false teacher and prophet, and charlatan that entertained my flesh with promises of personal deliverance and breakthrough. If God got any glory, then it was primarily an afterthought. Thank the Lord that He saw fit for me to remain submerged in foolishness long enough to disdain it’s taste – and recognize it’s seductive (yet false) allure, just so that I would be even more passionate about rooting it out.

The least we can do is to continue sounding the alarm so that others (even if just a few) decide to bypass the false teachers and prophets in their search for the True and Living God!

Thank the Lord that He saw fit for me to remain submerged in foolishness long enough to disdain it’s taste – and recognize it’s seductive (yet false) allure, just so that I would be even more passionate about rooting it out.

Good insight, ST.

The least we can do is to continue sounding the alarm so that others (even if just a few) decide to bypass the false teachers and prophets in their search for the True and Living God!

Amen to that. It is a worthwhile task.

Back in 2002, when I had become an elder, I took the role seriously.
I developed a small, useful motto based on my understanding from the Bible: “Do no harm. Allow no harm.”

I didn’t realize then how important the second part was and how little I had followed it. I was definitely allowing harm by being willingly ignorant and complicit with the error of the false teachers that we were heartily embracing. I too, like you ST, hoped for more from God than what His gospel actually guarantees to all – removal of sins.

I can see now that God was eager to have me avoid the judgment of tacitly misleading the people under my charge as a teacher. James puts out a strong warning to us who teach God’s flock. I am ashamed that it took so long for me to awaken to righteousness; but much better late than never.

As an elder, I also came up with a simple prayer, that I whimsically, yet sincerely, based on the catch phrase of that former mayor of New York, Ed Koch, “How’m I doing?” I started praying that: “Lord, How am I doing?” I meant it with all my heart. I suppose that I had by then deep, unspoken misgivings about how my Christian life and ministry was going. Down deep, I was troubled and grieved. I could not lay my finger on exactly why I felt that way. Sunday services became a drudgery to me. Even though every one around me seemed caught up in the “Spirit” during the services, by the time they were over, I wanted to jump out of my skin. It took over a half an hour for me to calm down inside.

Now that I had more leadership responsibilities, I had a lot of “fear and trembling;” in a wholesome sense and I wanted to have a good accounting at judgment. I also wanted no unwelcome surprises awaiting me after I finished my course, i.e., to discover that it was all built on “wood, hay and stubble.” I did not want to be told by Jesus that “my works were not complete in the sight of His God.”

Well, “How am I doing?” got answered in the most gentle way I could have ever hoped for. The clarity of the wisdom from above did not upbraid me, nor torment me, nor condemn me. It was the power of pure, peaceable, easily-entreated truth that showed me that we were in trouble as a church; or, at least many of us were, who were given to believing and trusting these influential and usually rich authors and ministers who dominated Charismatic doctrine and practice.

I am not well-thought of by many of those in my former church. Some though, who actually asked me, understand after I explained what happened. The pastor never told the congregation why I was gone and the people were too respectful to ask him. Even today, if I meet someone from the church, I will ask them if they know why I am gone. They shake their head no or give me a guess that they have or repeat some rumor they’ve heard. There are those of the people who come unsolicited to the Bible fellowship we have at my home. We have an Acts 2:42 meeting.

Yes, my life is radically different since October 2005; but, it is quiet and my mind is clear and my spirit is not grieved as it was for all those years. The yoke is easy, and the burden is light. In short, my exodus from the church was the best thing that has happened to me in many years. I can only credit these changes to the over-arching love of a beneficent, all-wise God Who promised to save me. Certainly, I am eager to share with whoever I can about what the Lord took pains to show me. As the word says, “Let the redeemed of the Lord, say so.”

I really appreciate the blogs like yours I have found, ST. They have given me opportunity to share my testimony and thoughts and current conclusions. These blogs are among the voices in the wilderness of those standing firm “outside the camp” where Jesus died for our sins.

I’m almost weeping as I read your testimony stan – it’s almost identical to my own.

I too had that “sinking” feeling once the Lord allowed me to begin to really see and listen to what was going on around me. I would sit in services stone faced so as not to arouse “suspicion” as to why I wasn’t jumping and yelling back at “dad” when he “preached”. As an ordained leader, I had to tow the line so I tried to smile while I swallowed poo. I also taught in church and avoided deep scripture searching in favor of just parrotting the “vision of the house” – we didn’t dare appear more learned than the “mand of Gawd”!

Like you, my life is completely different since I fled the plantation – and I can’t imagine ever having been there in the first place.

Wow, ST. Your former church experience seems more cultic than
mine, since you had to make sure you did not arouse suspicion. The
more I see of these PPs, the more they seem to be cult leaders.
They rule with a heavy hand and keep people from growing as they should. Their people regurgitate the same mantra-like confessions.
They even fight to protect their predators from criticism.

Gods word never changes, people change, a false prophet looks identically similiar to the real thing, its very hard to point him out, but us seasons saints can rightly divide the word and the spirit of the man of God to see if its God or himself. Gods word is annointed full of power and authority! Mans words will come out like anger or what hes feeling in his flesh. Know the word of God for yourself, the spirit of the antichrist doesnt want the church members anymore, hes going after the head of the church, because if he can stop him or misdirect him, hes got the body. so these days you have to pray and make sure you have what you need to make the rapture, this is an individual walk dont get left behind! remember the movie ,the pastor got left behind with some of the members. be ye watchful

I agree to an extent about false prophecies. I am dealing with a situation right now with reference to my 29 year old son. A lot of prophetic word was spoken I am puzzle as to its truth. Words such as there would be a mother and son healing ministry, he would go to college this September, see him being in the ministry, a ministry greater than Binney Hinn,see him marrying a white girl they would have two children a boy and a girl my son mommy said I am not getting married so I knew that was a lie. Today my son is dead, was found dead in a carnal on June 14, 2008 have not seen his remains yet, still in police custody. My son was a christian and had the prophetic gift. If he said or told you something it was gospel, but he was afraid to walk in his calling but whereever he went in the neighbourhood he would minister and every is speaking well of his preciseness. But to God be the glory, the devil think he won. But God is the judge and let’s leave the judging to Him. God would deal with the lying prophets who deceive his people for the mighty dollar. I will lokk for a response in my e-mail.